The present invention works in conjunction with a central maintenance computer (CMC) and provides a real time link between an onboard maintenance computer fault indication and an associated troubleshooting procedure from the portable maintenance aid (PMA) data. A quick and efficient way for airline mechanics to access vital fault isolation procedures without the added burden of locating paper copies or carrying fragile mobile computing devices. The selected troubleshooting procedure can be sent to an onboard printer thereby allowing the mechanic to move about the aircraft with the troubleshooting procedure in hand.
Problem Solved by the Present Invention
Currently airline mechanics have to board the aircraft and interrogate the CMC to determine a failure affecting the aircraft and then take the fault message/fault number information to the maintenance control center, sometimes miles away to lookup the aircraft maintenance manual fault isolation manual (FIM) for troubleshooting procedure for the fault. With a paper copy of the troubleshooting procedure in hand, the mechanic then returns to the aircraft to begin troubleshooting the fault. Occasionally this process can lead to late departures or cancellations. As a consequence an improved troubleshooting procedure as hereinafter described overcomes unnecessary removal of line replaceable units (LRU""s) which would otherwise be recycled back through maintenance shops.
The hereinafter described invention provides the mechanic with quick access to trouble-shooting procedures via an aircraft mounted maintenance terminal (MT). The MT will provide an electronic display of the aircraft maintenance manual troubleshooting procedure for the associated fault onboard the aircraft by clicking a highlighted CMC fault message number on a CMC screen displayed on the MT. This immediate access to the troubleshooting procedure via a real time link will result in increased airline dispatch rates leading to increased customer satisfaction and lower unnecessary LRU removals at cost savings to airlines.
Prior Art
Other approaches currently used:
1. Carrying a mobile computing device to the aircraft with the electronic FIM data stored in the computer and manually entering fault codes via search routines to access the FIM troubleshooting procedure. Disadvantages of this approach include: battery life expectancy of the mobile device; burden of carrying a mobile computing device; fragile nature of mobile devices; possibility of damaging the device due to work environment of mechanics; airline ability to keep sufficient number of mobile devices available for the required work force; an, distance from the aircraft to the maintenance center to obtain a mobile device.
2. Carrying a paper copy of the FIM onboard the aircraft. This is difficult since the manual weighs approximately 40 pounds, takes up considerable space, and must be updated 3 times a year. This approach also requires mechanics to search through reams of paper in order to find the correct troubleshooting procedure, which is both cumbersome and time consuming.
Prior Art References
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,919 issued Jul. 24, 1990 to Aslin et.al. assigned to The Boeing Company discloses a central maintenance computer system (CMCS). The CMCS encompasses all major avionics, electrical, and mechanical systems installed on the aircraft. The CMCS collects, stores, and displays maintenance information generated by line replaceable units (LRU""s). The CMCS also provides a centralized location to initiate system tests. The CMCS has operator interface display and input devices (i.e. multi-purpose control display units (MCDU""s) and the interface devices relation to the CMCS are shown in FIGS. 1,3, and 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,919.
The present invention as hereinafter described is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,919, in that as will be seen in the following description, the present system integrates the CMCS with the maintenance documentation (i.e. electronic portable maintenance aid (PMA) data).
McDonnell Douglas Onboard Maintenance Terminal (OMT) as described in a publication dated 7 Oct. 1996 delivered at the Avionics 96 Conference at Los Angeles, Calif.
McDonnell Douglas MD 11, MD10, and MD 90 model aircraft utilize an onboard maintenance system which consists of a centralized fault display system (CFDS) and an onboard maintenance terminal (OMT) implemented in the 1990""s. One of the features of the OMT is to display aircraft faults to applicable maintenance documentation.
In contrast, the present invention differs from the aforementioned McDonnell Douglas OMT in that in addition to faults, the present system also links flight deck effect (FDE) EICAS messages to FIM troubleshooting procedures. The McDonnell Douglas OMT only links faults to FIM troubleshooting procedures.
The present invention provides airline mechanics with an electronic maintenance terminal (MT) display that displays real time central maintenance computer (CMC) data screens and provides the mechanic with the ability to access the FIM troubleshooting procedure via an internal software hot link between the CMC fault code and the FIM procedure. The mechanic selects via a cursor control device on the MT, a real time highlighted CMC fault or flight deck effect (FDE) being displayed on the maintenance terminal and obtains an immediate display of the aircraft maintenance manual FIM Troubleshooting procedure for the fault/FDE indication. Once the FIM troubleshooting procedure is displayed, the mechanic would then have the choice of working from the display, send the troubleshooting procedure to an onboard printer for a paper copy, or access additional maintenance information and procedures from the PMA data links within the PMA data. At times, a printed copy is useful for work required outside the aircraft such as engine related maintenance.